10 reasons to attend the 2025 Kiwanis International convention

10 reasons to attend the 2025 Kiwanis International convention

Jun 9, 2025 | General interest, Leadership | 0 comments

From education and fellowship to inspiration and celebration, it’s the year’s biggest Kiwanis event.

By Julie Saetre

Get ready: The 2025 Kiwanis International Convention is on the horizon! We’ll gather in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., June 25-28. Register now to join your fellow Kiwanians for the biggest event of the year — and to help forge the future. 

Here’s why you’ll want to be there: 

  1. Dynamic educational workshops and classes. Explore the ways Kiwanians are building new clubs and gain insight into expanding and nurturing your club’s membership. Learn how to make your club attractive, meaningful and enjoyable for all generations. Dive into master classes that go deeper into leadership training and community service, with subject-matter experts as your guides. Our workshops will get you ready to tackle a to-do list designed to take your club — and Kiwanis — to the next level. 
  2. The Convention Kickoff. Start your experience with a celebration of Kiwanis. The opening session features the actor Martin Sheen. With more than 100 roles since the 1960s, Sheen is known not only for his remarkable career but also for his passion, purpose and advocacy. 
  3. Membership Fair and Welcome Reception. Looking for recruiting inspiration? Pick up tips from clubs that have been recognized for their growth efforts after using Two For Two, club boosts, open houses, guest days or their own membership drives. During the Welcome Reception, visit vendors, meet candidates and enjoy entertainment and refreshments. New this year: a DJ and door prizes! 
  4. Fellowship with Kiwanians from around the world. Take time to relax with longtime Kiwanis friends and new connections. Join fellow Kiwanians for the Sunset Social, a special party on the rooftop of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with finger food, a cash bar and entertainment. On Saturday night, mingle at the Gatsby-inspired bar or hit the dance floor during our Roaring 20s Gala. 
  5. CKI members. Circle K International — the Kiwanis service program for university students — is holding its convention alongside ours at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center! Stop by the CKI booth in the Kiwanis Marketplace to meet some of its members — and learn about the amazing work they do on their campuses, in their communities and around the world! 
  6. Kiwanis Launchpads. There will be two Kiwanis Launchpads this year. Designed to be short and high impact, these presentations will send you home with ideas and inspiration. The first Launchpad will celebrate Key Club’s 100th anniversary by featuring alumni who credit much of their success to the values and skills they learned in Key Club. At the second Launchpad, you’ll hear from the director of the Fred Rogers Institute, as well as an engaging speaker who will teach you how to find joy in conflict through curiosity.  
  7. Kiwanis Marketplace. This is your go-to hub at the heart of the convention. Shop, snap photos, snag swag and more. Here, you’ll find exhibitors and Kiwanis partners who can inspire fresh ideas on impactful service projects and effective fundraisers. You can also browse Kiwanis-branded merchandise, including special-issue 2025 convention items. Meet the candidates running for international officers and trustees. Learn about your host city. Get details about our ongoing Build. Nurture. Retain. membership initiative. Explore the new Kiwanis Engage membership platform. And more! 
  8. 2025 Kiwanis Annual Meeting. Get informed about the business of Kiwanis International and add your voice to our future. Delegates from clubs around the world will elect the organization’s next leaders and vote on amendments. 
  9. Celebrations. From the Welcome Reception and the Convention Kickoff to the Kiwanis Roaring 20s Gala, you’ll celebrate Kiwanis and the amazing work our clubs and members accomplish every day. Have breakfast with our Signature Project Contest finalists (and see who wins the big prizes). Enjoy lunch on Thursday while learning about The Possibility Project’s Generosity Challenge and on Friday while marking Key Club’s milestone centennial birthday. And get ready for a night of glitz and glamor at Saturday night’s Roaring ’20s Gala. 
  10. Our host city. Pittsburgh is a versatile destination brimming with discoveries. From the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, you’ll have easy access to the Cultural District, the historic Strip District and the Allegheny River. You’ll also be located near shops, restaurants, galleries and theaters. From sightseeing to the sports scene, breweries to bistros, and amusement rides to museums, Pittsburgh has something for everyone! 
Kiwanis club funds STEAM projects

Kiwanis club funds STEAM projects

Jun 4, 2025 | General interest, Service projects | 0 comments

Members in California, U.S., help local teachers engage students’ interest in the curriculum. 

By Pat Rasmussen, club member 

In Glendora, California, U.S., the Kiwanis Club of Glendora Kiwaniannes is doing its part to help local teachers bring STEAM — that’s science, technology, engineering, art and math — into K-12 classrooms. By awarding 12 grants of US$800 each to teachers throughout the Glendora Unified School District, the club has been funding STEAM-related projects created by teachers for students. 

“We’ve sponsored these grants for the past 10 years, and we are always amazed at what teachers can do with just a little money to purchase supplies and equipment,” says club member Tricia Gomer, who has chaired the program since its inception. “It brings a wonderful 21st-century dynamic into the classroom.” 

The bond between the club and the students was further strengthened when grant recipients were invited to a club meeting to talk about their projects.  

One teacher used her grant to purchase a 3D printer to assist her in teaching STEAM-related topics. Two others collaborated to create a STEAM event for students in sixth through eighth grades, using the grant to purchase STEAM activity kits and bringing in guest speakers to talk about careers in STEAM fields. 

Middle school students visited a nearby elementary school to help create a garden, using math skills to plot out the area and researching native plants to include in the garden. With funds from the Kiwanianne grant, they purchased plants and vegetables and built the garden alongside the elementary students. Three trees were also planted with financial help from the Kiwaniannes. The garden was officially introduced to the school on Earth Day, Aprill 22.  

Teachers said the elementary students felt less afraid about moving to middle school because they had met and worked alongside those students to plant the garden. 

A fourth- and fifth-grade teacher used her grant to buy film and editing equipment for her school’s student council, which wrote, filmed and edited a short video featuring their fellow students. The focus was on positive, socially conscious messages to consider the feelings of others.  

A high school instructor used his grant to purchase plywood so that his students could use professional software and laser engravers to create business cards, Christmas ornaments and telephone stands. They added their creations to their portfolios to prepare for the local community college’s architecture exam. If they passed, they could earn 3 units of college credit. 

“This is absolutely one of the best programs we fund each year,” says Rose Wentz, club president. “It sparks such creativity, learning and collaboration. We look forward to seeing what teachers will come up with for next year’s round of grants.” 

Kiwanians get kindness in return

Kiwanians get kindness in return

May 29, 2025 | Club building, General interest, Service projects | 0 comments

A club in Canada finds itself on the receiving end of the community’s generosity. 

By Julie Saetre

Submitted by the Locheil Kiwanis Community Centre, Ontario, Canada 

Kiwanians in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, are accustomed to helping their community. Recently, however, members of the Sarnia-Lambton Golden K Kiwanis Club were the recipients of community kindness when a longtime club symbol received an unexpected refresh. 

The Sarnia-Lambton club, through its Sarnia Kiwanis Foundation, operates the Lochiel Kiwanis Community Centre, which serves some 1,000 children per week through various youth organizations. Formerly a school, the building was converted into the Community Centre in 1985. To mark the occasion, the club installed a refurbished heritage bell on a cairn outside the building. 

In 2024, someone cut the bronze hanger and stole the bell. Thanks to the Sarnia Police Service, the bell was recovered and returned to the Kiwanians — but it had been damaged during its time away. 

That’s when local welder Paul Babcock Jr. stepped in. Ironically, his father, Paul Babcock Sr., had restored the bell in 1985. The younger Babcock took it to the family’s shop, Babcock Welding, where he brazed the bell and then built a new tripod with a sturdier hanger that would stand up to any future theft attempts. And he did all the work at no cost. 

As a thank you, the Sarnia Kiwanis Foundation awarded Babcock Jr. two plaques of recognition: one to display at the Community Centre and one for the Babcock Welding shop. 

“Babcock Welding and Paul Babcock Jr. do a lot for the Sarnia community besides this instance,” says Richard Felton, executive director of the Locheil Kiwanis Community Centre. “We are really grateful to have people like this to help us when needed.” 

Has your club received support from the community in an unexpected way? If so, what happened and how did you recognize the effort? Let us know at shareyourstory@kiwanis.org.